Multi-function tablet pen input device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to the field of remotely controlling the mobile computing device. It further relates to an apparatus and method of at least replicating in a portable pen-like device the ability to control a portable computing device to the same extent as the level of control attainable by a standard PC keyboard when attached to a standard PC; and relates to various embodiments of the apparatus and method.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the invention relate to devices and methods for amobile computing device.

BACKGROUND

In the state of the art mobile computing devices, neither the stylus northe conventional tablet pens allow for full control of the tablet PC,but merely allows selection of a command from a menu of commands offeredby the operating system of the tablet PC. Thus, a need exists for a morerobust control capability of a portable computing device such as atablet PC.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form partof the specification, illustrate the present invention and together withthe description, further serve to explain the principles of theinvention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to makeand use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicateidentical or functionally similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a software functional block diagram, showing the interactionbetween major components of the software at a high level.

FIG. 3 depicts the software block diagram at chip level, eg “centrino”,custom Blue tooth, or similar where HID messages are raised by thefirmware to the OS which then distributes to all applications as an OSevent.

FIG. 4 depicts the software block diagram at the software driver level,e.g., HID over Blue tooth, or similar where the communications are doneusing HID messages and passed through to the OS and distributes to allapplications as an OS event.

FIG. 5 depicts the software block diagram at the software driver level,utilizing a mechanism such as serial, or similar where thecommunications are done directly to the firmware on the tablet pen andthen the service would push specific events back down to the OS to bedistributed to other applications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used in the specification and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,”and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise. For example, the term “an array” may include a plurality ofarrays unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The embodiments of the invention relate to the input device for a mobilecomputing device. Illustrative of such mobile computing devices aretablet-style personal computers designed to communicate wirelessly withmedical devices such as stethoscopes, blood pressure monitors, vitalsigns monitors, and other various medical testing instruments in aclinical or hospital environment, while being convenient to hold andoperate, and resistant to penetration by fluids.

The embodiments of the invention further relate to the field of remotelycontrolling the mobile computing device. More specifically, thisinvention relates to an apparatus and method of at least replicating ina portable pen-like device the ability to control a portable computingdevice to the same extent as the level of control attainable by astandard PC keyboard when attached to a standard PC.

The term “computer” may include at least one central processing unit orCPU (processor) connected to a host bus. The CPU may be any of varioustypes, including an x86 processor, e.g., a Pentium class, a PowerPCprocessor, a CPU from the SPARC family of RISC processors, as well asothers. The computer system may also include various memory mediums,typically including RAM and referred to as main memory. The main memorymay store one or more programs implementing the present invention. Themain memory may also store operating system software, as well as othersoftware for operation of the computer system.

A class of personal computers which is smaller than the typical“desktop” or “laptop” devices is known in the art as “tablet” personalcomputers, or tablet PCs. Such computing devices are generally known foruse as personal digital assistants and as specialized, mobile computers.Tablet PCs typically offer the advantage of a small form factor that iseasy for the user to carry, but at the cost of limited utility withrespect to their full-sized counterparts. As used herein, the termtablet PC refers to a computer, such as a personal computer,incorporating various convenient and intuitive aspects of pencil andpaper into a user's interaction with the computer. Tablet PC as usedhere also includes a type of mobile computer known as ultramobile PC(UMPC), characterized by the lack of a keyboard.

The information input/output characteristics of tablet PCs arecompletely different than conventional PCs. Tablet PCs lack keyboardsand therefore commands that require keyboard input are impossible to dowithout custom programming or awkward user interaction. These includebut are not limited to keyboard entries such as:CTRL/ALT/SHIFT/DEL/TAB/INSERT/etc.

On the other hand, tablet PCs provide a very natural way to interactwith a computer, namely, by writing on it. Tablet PCs allow forcapturing of handwritten notes so that users are able to take notes intheir own handwriting, similar to taking handwritten notes with a penand paper. Tablet PCs commonly include a stylus. A stylus secretes noink and is used with a touch screen of the PC. A stylus permits dataentry directly into the device via a digitizer, which is positionedbehind the display screen to permit data entry by a user. The stylus istypically passive.

While providing the simplicity of pen and paper, tablet PCs have thepotential to provide many features and benefits provided by wordprocessors and other personal computer software, including sharing ofnotes among meeting participants in real-time during a meeting via awireless communication link, for instance. Additional advantages overpen and paper include, but are not limited to, the ability to searchnotes for particular words, including “fuzzy finds,” and the ability toinput information in other ways including speaking and any othersuitable means for inputting information.

Tablet PCs may also provide functions in specialized applications suchas medical care. Such applications may be designed according tostandards such has Clinical Context Object Workgroup (CCOW) Health LevelSeven (HL7). CCOW HL7 is a vendor independent standard which allowsclinical applications to share information at the point of care. CCOWHL7 uses “context management” to allow information in separatehealthcare applications to be unified so that each individualapplication is referring to the same patient, encounter or user. When aclinician signs onto one application within a CCOW HL7 environment, andselects a patient, that same sign-on is simultaneously executed on allother applications within the same computing environment. This standardoffers clinicians secure, unified access to disparate clinical data atthe point of care, thereby improving efficiency.

Tablet PCs require a way to input information and user commands intothem. Among other ways of entering textual information, users will oftenuse the stylus, which was mentioned previously. Conventional styluses,such as those commonly used with a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), maybe removably attached to the tablet PC, may be tethered to the tabletPC, or may be completely independent of the tablet PC. The stylus, ifstored, must be removed from its storage position to interact with thetablet PC.

Another input device for use with tablet PCs is referred to as a tabletpen, which provides for limited functionality beyond that of a stylus.Currently, tablet pens are very simple devices with at most twoPress/Hold buttons to simulate the right/left mouse button. Current pensalso utilize magnetic coupling which requires a very close proximity tothe digitizer, in which a separation distance of 20-30 mm is typical.

The pen or stylus may be used to write on a display area of the tabletPC, or as a pointing device directly on the screen or above the screen.If pre-selected portions of the tablet PC screen have been designed as amenu for inputting user commands, then the stylus can be used to selectthe available commands by touching or pointing to the area of the screendedicated to that command.

The embodiments of the present invention relates to an apparatus andmethod providing a new type of tablet pen, associated device driver, andmethod of providing communication between the Tablet Pen and the tabletPC. The Tablet Pen contains several type and quantities of user inputcontrols such as buttons/sliders/spring button that communicate commandsto the Tablet PC. These commands can be issued within a certaindistance, but are not proximity based such as the magnetic tablet pensin use today. When activated, the Tablet Pen will send commands to theTablet PC that can be interpreted by the Operating System. The user willhave full control to map these buttons at an OS/Application level sothat one button may mean one thing in one application, but an entirelydifferent command in another application. The Tablet Pen may alsoutilize newer wireless communications methods providing increasedoperating range between the Tablet Pen and the tablet PC.

In one embodiment, the invention is directed to an apparatus for thecontrol of a computer. Preferably, the apparatus is a Tablet Pen havinginput controls and the computer is a tablet PC. The input controls ofthe apparatus could include one or more switches allowing a user toselect an input state from among a plurality of discrete choices ofstates, or could include one or more continuous selectors allowing auser to set or select an input state or input value from among a rangeof values, with sufficiently small difference between adjacentselectable values, so as to present an essentially continuous set ofselectable values within the range of values.

The input controls of the apparatus may optionally include one or moreof the following types of user-operated input controls:

Press and hold button switch controls, in which the pressing, holding,or length of hold can be used to select a temporary command, a temporarycommand being one which has effect only during the duration of theassociated user interaction with the input control;

Interactive button, which operates like a press and hold button switchcontrol, but with the difference that the action taken upon detection ofthe various types of user interaction will be under the control ofsoftware, and may be redefined based upon the computing state of eitherthe tablet PC or the Tablet Pen;

Rocker switches, in which the switch pivots in order to select from adiscrete number of positions, usually two positions, and which mayoptionally include a mechanical spring function that operates to returnthe rocker switch to a default position when the rocker switch is notactuated by the user;

Spring button switches, in which the switch operates in a linear motionin order to select from a discrete number of positions, but which isotherwise the same as a rocker switch;

Slider continuous selectors, in which an input control is adjusted bythe user in a manner which appears to be continuous to the user, i.e.,either the user does not perceive discrete steps between valuesselectable by the input control, or any discrete steps which the usermay perceive (e.g., detents) will be closely spaced enough so that theuser does not have a need to select a value in between the selectablevalues. The selection may be made within a range of allowable values,wherein the range may be fixed or may be under software control. Theinput control may operate to select a value through either mechanical ornon-mechanical actuation of the input control. Examples ofnon-mechanical actuation include, but are not limited to, electrical,magnetic, or capacitive sensing;

Scroll wheel, which is a type of slider continuous selector, in whichrotary motion is the user actuation that operates the input control;

The input controls of the apparatus may also optionally be arranged toduplicate the functionality of a conventional computer mouse.

The apparatus may also optionally include a magnetic tip.

The tablet PC may also include a device driver, which is softwareintegrated with the operating system of the tablet PC. The device driversoftware would enable the tablet PC to recognize and act upon commandsinputted by the user through the Tablet Pen, and may optionally enabletransmission of one or more indicators to the Tablet Pen based on thecomputing state, computing results, or status of the tablet PC.

In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a method of fullycontrolling a Tablet PC within a certain distance, but are not proximitybased like in the prior art.

The method of control of the Tablet Pen allows the ability to actuateone or more of the input controls in order to invoke a custom “stickynote” application so that users can write their notes down that areindependent of any application currently running. Sticky note softwaretypically allows a user to enter notes in a freeform style. Optionally,attributes such as date, time and subject may be attached to the note tofurther describe it. The attributes may be entered by the user, or maybe entered by utilizing a sharing capability provided by the softwaredriver of the Tablet Pen, the sharing capability allowing the Tablet Pento automatically attach various attributes to the note as it is written.The software driver of the Tablet Pen may use a communication standardsuch as HL7, or other standard providing similar functionality. Thesoftware driver of the Tablet Pen may interrogate the tablet PCoperating system about other processes it is executing, and use thisinformation to attach attributes to the user's notes. This sticky noteability allows users of the tablet PC and Tablet Pen to develop and usevery individual, personalized systems for keeping of track ofinformation, tasks, and what has been done with different patients. Anembodiment of the present invention for use in the medical applicationarena may utilize the CCOW HL7 standard that could embed patientidentification to the sticky note.

The present invention allows the ability to tie authentication at auser-ID level to the pen. An embedded ID, such as an RFID tag or adigital signature embedded in the memory of the Tablet Pen, could beused to identify the user of the tablet and only allow access to thetablet of the person holding the pen. To gain full access, the userwould need to use a biometric characteristic for password. Examples ofmeans for identification based on biometric passwords include bysignature, password, fingerprint, or iris scan.

The present invention allows the ability to lock or shut-down the tabletPC when the Tablet Pen is no longer within close enough range to be ableto communicate with the tablet PC. Since the lockout or shut-downfunction is in the tablet PC, and since this is activated when theTablet Pen is no longer within range, the tablet PC must be able todetect the absence of communication from the Tablet Pen, or when suchcommunication is received but at a signal level too low to providereliable communications. One method would be if the Tablet Pen providesa periodic ping or “keep alive” signal to the portable computing device.

The present invention allows the ability to invoke a “lock tablet”functionality through the single actuation of a single input control.

The present invention allows the ability to use an RF-Location stack orbe responsive to a paging signal from the tablet PC, thus generating anindicator in the Tablet Pen, for instance an audio or visual indicator.This functionality would be used by or actuated by the tablet PC inorder to auto-locate the pen when commanded from the tablet PC. Thepaging signal may be individualized for a particular combination ofportable computing device and Tablet Pen. The paging functionality couldalso operate in the reverse direction, so that the Tablet Pen sends apaging signal to the portable computing device, and upon receipt of thepaging signal the potable computing device generates a human-perceivablesignal.

In one embodiment of the invention, the Tablet Pen can communicate tothe tablet PC using one or more of a variety of communication methodsand protocols, such as: RF, IEEE Standard 802.15 for Wireless PersonalArea Networks (also known as (ZigBee), Bluetooth, Infra-red (IR)/IRDA,or ultrasonic sound frequencies. These methods and protocols do notnecessarily require line of sight access between the tablet PC and theTablet Pen.

Yet another embodiment relates to a method for controlling a computerusing a peripheral device containing various user input controls, themethod comprising delivering a signal from a user input to a receiver ofan embedded controller; generating an interrupt and identification of anevent from the embedded controller to facilitate processing a peripheralevent; raising notification of the peripheral event using an advancedconfiguration and power interface (ACPI) event and associated ACPIcontrol methods; capturing the peripheral event with an operating systemdevice driver that includes a device driver for the sensor; translatingthe peripheral event into a human interface device (HID) report that isread by an HID class driver; and sending an input message to applicationsoftware that has registered an interest in the peripheral event.

In an embodiment of the invention utilizing Windows, the system includesthree device drivers. They include an HID Class Driver, an ACPI-to-HIDMapper Driver, and an ACPI Class Driver. When the system boots, theACPI-to-HID Mapper Driver loads and registers itself (using the label of“AHM”) with the ACPI Class Driver, so that the ACPI Class Driver willknow that when it receives AHM events from the embedded controller, torespond by invoking the ACPI-to-HID Mapper Driver. The ACPI-to-HIDMapper Driver will service Tablet Pen events from the embeddedcontroller. The system designer must assign button numbers to all thebuttons/switches on the system. For example, a Tablet Pen sensor couldbe designated as button #4 (the numbers are somewhat arbitrary, butshould start at 1 and count up by ones). Tablet Pen events are deliveredby the embedded controller as AHM events. In this example, when theACPI-to-HID Mapper Driver receives notification of an AHM event, itcalls BTNS(0) to determine which button/switch caused the AHM event andreceives back a “4” to indicate that it was a Tablet Pen event.

After determining that a stylus event occurred, the ACPI-to-HID mapperdriver reads a table (out of, for example, a Windows registry)describing which HID button codes are associated with button #4. Forexample, the Windows registry may indicate that button #4 shouldgenerate an HID “input report” with {HID page 12, HID usage 1, HIDbutton usage 35} or other similar parameters. The control panel appletallows system administrators to select which HID button code will beassigned to a particular Tablet Pen event.

The interaction between the HID class driver and the applicationsoftware, according to an embodiment of the invention, is as follows.Application software can “register” its interest in a particular buttoncode, such as the stylus button code, with the HID class driver by usingan application programming interface (API) provided by the operatingsystem.

A wake sequence is initiated by the embedded controller. The firmware inthe embedded controller is coded to cause the system to wake upon aTablet Pen event. During a wake sequence, when the operating system isresumed from a sleeping state, it will send (broadcast) a “resumed”message to all running applications. When a stylus event occurs, theACPI-to-HID mapper driver delivers the event to the HID class driver,who delivers it to the application software in the form of an inputmessage, as well as a message buffer indicating that the input type wasan HID event, and that it was the stylus button. Using these events, anapplication will understand that the system has reawakened, and that itwas because of a Tablet Pen event. When the Tablet Pen event clears,another Tablet Pen event message will be sent. When any application hasbeen programmed to cause the system to sleep upon a particular TabletPen event, upon receipt of the appropriate HID button code, the systeminitiates a suspend operation by calling the operation system'ssuspension API.

The present invention contemplates the user being able to enable ordisable various capabilities of the tablet PC, such as the ability towake up or to sleep upon a particular Tablet Pen event. For medicalapplications, the peripheral may include such devices as, for example, awireless blood pressure gauge, a thermometer, or a wireless stethoscope.Other peripheral devices and features that might be incorporated intothe platform include, but are not limited to, digital cameras, RFIDreaders, bar code readers, Bluetooth connectivity, audio I/O, a dockingstation which may include warm-swappable batteries.

Yet another embodiment of the method for control software servicesrunning within the tablet PC and Tablet Pen establish a communicationusing the protocol implemented above the operating system level, similarto that used for blue-tooth headsets. These services would interpret thecommands and optionally raises these events to the Operating system. Forexample, not every event on the pen needs to be raised to the operatingsystem (“OS”) level for any application to read, for example, displayzoom control, lighting and contrast of the display, or otherapplication-specific events. Additionally, the pen may invoke commandsto the operating system without invoking software at the ACPI or HIDlevels.

The above description is presented to enable a person skilled in the artto make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of aparticular application and its requirements. Various modifications tothe preferred embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied toother embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. Thus, this invention is not intended to belimited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scopeconsistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

This application may disclose several numerical range limitations.Persons skilled in the art would recognize that the numerical rangesdisclosed inherently support any range within the disclosed numericalranges even though a precise range limitation is not stated verbatim inthe specification because this invention can be practiced throughout thedisclosed numerical ranges. A holding to the contrary would “let formtriumph over substance” and allow the written description requirement toeviscerate claims that might be narrowed during prosecution simplybecause the applicants broadly disclose in this application but thenmight narrow their claims during prosecution. Where the term “plurality”is used, that term shall be construed to include the quantity of one,unless otherwise stated. Finally, the entire disclosure of the patentsand publications referred in this application are hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

1. An apparatus for the remote control of a portable computing device,comprising: a removable handheld body; a plurality of user-actuatedinput controls within the handheld body, the user-actuated inputcontrols providing user inputs, wherein the user-actuated input controlsare accessible from the surface of the handheld body; a CPU within thehandheld body, the CPU configured to translate the user inputs intocontrol signals for the portable computing device; a means forwirelessly communicating the control signals to the portable computingdevice.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user-actuated inputcontrols comprises at least one press and hold button switch control. 3.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user-actuated input controlscomprises at least one rocker switch.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the user-actuated input controls comprises at least one springbutton switch.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user-actuatedinput controls comprises at least one slider continuous selector.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the user-actuated input controls comprisesat least one scroll wheel.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theuser-actuated input controls arranged to duplicate the functionality ofa computer mouse.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatusfurther comprises a magnetic tip.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe means for wirelessly communicating comprises radio frequency waves.10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for wirelesslycommunicating comprises IEEE Standard 802.15.
 11. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the means for wirelessly communicating comprises Bluetooth.12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for wirelesslycommunicating comprises infrared.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe means for wirelessly communicating comprises ultrasonic soundfrequencies.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld bodyfurther comprises a means for identification matched to an embedded IDin the portable computing device.
 15. A method of controlling a portablecomputing device, comprising: providing the apparatus of claim 1;executing a plurality of application software on the portable computingdevice; executing a sticky-note software, wherein the sticky-notesoftware, upon activation by a user, is configured to share user-definedinformation among the plurality of application software; activating thesticky-note software by manipulating one or more of the input controlson the apparatus.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sticky-notesoftware is configured to share user-defined information by using theCCOW HL7 standard.
 17. The method of claim 15, including the furtherstep of providing an output signal at periodic points in time.
 18. Themethod of claim 15, including the further step of transmitting a commandto lock the portable computing device in response to a predeterminedactuation of an input control.
 19. The method of claim 15, including thefurther steps of monitoring for the reception of a paging signal, andemitting a human-detectable signal upon the detection of a pagingsignal.